A Flood
by a fan
Summary: An alternate ending to Female Trouble


Alternative ending to Female Trouble   
  
I don't own the Characters Max and Logan. Thanks to James Cameron and Charles Eglee for creating them.  
  
The Flood   
  
I found Mrs. Mareno sprawled on the bathroom floor, with a large gash on her forehead.  
  
"Stay still Mrs. Mareno. I'll call the paramedics."  
  
"Maybe it'd be better if I just died." Mrs. Mareno's voice was full of frustration and sadness.  
  
"Now let's not talk nonsense. Okay?" I wheeled over to the sink and turned off the taps then dialed the paramedics.  
  
You don't know. You're young. You've got everything to live for! But me. I'm too old!  
  
"I'm going to ask you to stop talking like that Mrs. Mareno." It was so easy for me to reach out to her and comfort her. I let myself slide out of the chair and sat down beside her on the floor. I held her hand and stroked her hair until the paramedics arrived. She just needed someone to hold her and let her know everything would be okay.   
  
After the paramedics left with Mrs. Mareno I stayed in the bathroom. "You have everything to live for," she said. I believed that for her but why couldn't I believe it for me. I could comfort Mrs. Mareno, but I couldn't comfort myself. I couldn't even reach out and ask for help. I sent Max to get my files when I knew I wasn't O.K. and I needed her beside me to survive. The failures and shattered dreams of my life threatened to bury me with an overwhelming weight. I propped myself up against the tub and pulled my lifeless legs close to my chest. I held on for dear life as my despair flooded over me in waves.  
  
I sent out a silent plea from the depth of my heart. "Oh God I can't do this by myself. I need someone to hold me too."  
  
And then the arms of love surrounded me. I poured out all my sorrows into those arms as the waves of anguish flooded out of the depths of my soul, enormous sobs that racked my body and crushed my breath. The arms were there to catch it all and to hold me when I couldn't hold myself anymore.   
  
After what seemed like an eternity the waves slowed and I was able to breathe again. As I took in a deep breath I felt the unbearable weight of the last week slide off my shoulders and melt into the flood of tears and water on the floor. And those arms were still there, holding me, supporting me, and promising never to let go. A gentle voice whispered the same message. "Logan I'm here for you. I will never let go."  
  
It was Max.   
  
How did she know to come here now? It was as if she was sent to me in answer to my desperate prayer. I didn't realize it before but Max was always there when I needed her. She seemed to have a direct link with my soul. I buried my head in her neck begging her silently to continue holding me. And she did. She held me and as she did I felt my soul being lifted out of the pit of despair. As my breathing eased I turned my head up to look into her face.  
  
"Logan, I saw the ambulance and I was so worried". She knew.   
  
Her face said it all. She knew that I was barely handing on to the thread of life. She was willing to do anything to help me hold on. To give me her strength, her hope, and her will to live.   
"Logan, don't let go."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
It was the same promise she had asked me to make in my dream in the hospital. So once again I clutched onto her thread, her strength and her will to live. And with it I allowed hope to enter my heart again.  
  
"I'm so sorry Max."  
  
"It's okay Logan. I promise you'll make it. It won't be easy, but together we'll do it.  
  
As I looked into her eyes a smile slowly came to my lips. I believed her, I really did.  
  
In response her beautiful smile lit up my day. That's what I need to see more of. Max smiling. I'll need to do more to see that reminded myself.  
  
It was only then that we dared to move.  
  
"Logan! You're soaked!"  
  
"Mrs. Mareno fell down and her sink overflowed. I called the paramedics and stayed with her until they arrived."  
  
"We should get you out of those wet clothes" There was something wrong. She said it with a gentle voice but there was a mischievous glint in her eye. A second later a spray of water from the sink hit me square in the face!  
  
"Max!! What did you do that for?!!  
  
In her sugariest voice she purred. "You were all wet anyway" I couldn't believe it! She wanted to have a water fight! Now? With Max there is no rest for the weary.  
  
"Max, I'm sorry but I promised Mrs. Mareno I'd clean up for her. Would you mind getting some towels out of the closet?" The tiredness in my voice prompted her to respond.   
  
When she came back with the towels I was ready for her. With Mrs. Mareno's shower hose in hand and one strong squeeze of the handle Max was soaked from head to foot.  
  
"Logan Cale! Forget what I said before! I'm going to kick your ass!" The look of shock on her face was priceless to behold. I kept the stream of water on her as she tried to get back to the sink for some more ammunition. The water kept flying until from somewhere deep inside me I started to laugh. At first it was small but it grew into a flood that shook my body so hard I dropped the hose. It started snaking across the room with a life of its own that sent water in every direction.   
  
"Logan!" Max screamed "Turn off the water!" as the laughter started to shake her too. I reached over the edge of the tub and turned off the taps. I let myself fall back into the flood of water on the floor. Soon Max was lying beside me laughing so hard I thought she would stop breathing.  
  
"Excuse me" There was a polite knock on the bathroom door. It was one of the paramedics. "I came back to get my supply case and I heard some screaming. I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay   
  
We couldn't help laughing again.. "We're fine" I choked out between gales of laughter. "We just had a little flood."  



End file.
